The Beginning of Forever (The World Froze)
by ReBeL93
Summary: Tony tells the story of when he saw his husband for the first time for his son's bedtime story. -Tony thought he was the single most beautiful thing he had ever seen. And he's sure that he fell for the man right then and there. And then the man opened his steel gray-blue-green colored eyes, looked at him, and then grinned wider as if he knew.- IronHawk Meet Cute AU Series Part 1


The first time Tony saw him, the world as he knew it just… froze. It was as if someone had pressed the universal pause button, causing the noise of the world to fade into silence. Then the picture turned to black and white accept for _him_. No, he was in color; the most vibrant and luminescent burst of life he had ever seen.

His face was turned up, eyes closed and dimpled smile bright, as the rain above began to come down on him. His short, tawny brown hair became matted to his forehead as raindrops slid down his face, past eye crinkles and laughter lines; some collecting in the long lashes that fanned out above his cheeks and some wetting his perfect bow shaped lips.

He had his arms spread out at his sides as if embracing the rain like an old friend; his palms turned up, collecting raindrops. His purple shirt and gray canvas jacket were darkening with every drop and clinging to his sun kissed skin, as were his form fitting blue jeans with a hole at the right knee.

Tony thought he was the single most beautiful thing he had ever seen. And he's sure that he fell for the man right then and there.

And then the man opened his steel gray-blue-green colored eyes, looked at him, and then grinned wider as if he knew.

Tony struggled to breathe, finding himself properly without air in his lungs as if the whole time he was standing there, watching him, his breath was stolen and he had somehow not taken a single breath since.

He swallowed, and then finally took a deep breath, his gaze still locked with the man that stole his heart and took his breath away all in one instant. And then he took one step forward, and then another, and another.

He stopped, leaving a considerate amount of space left between the two of them though they could simply reach out and touch one another if they wanted.

He could hear his own breath, loud in the silence between them, and could feel his pounding heart against his chest and pulsing in his ears.

His right hand shook as it continued to hold his umbrella above him and then the man stepped forward, his left hand closing over his on the umbrella, steading it so the heavy rain formed a transparent curtain around them.

"Hi." The steel-eyed man said, his gaze bright and smile soft.

"H-hello." Tony breathed.

And then the steel-eyed man grinned again, and Tony knew.

This was the beginning of forever.

"It really happened like that, Papa?" Bo asks, his doe hazel eyes peering up at him in wonder from his twin sized bed.

Tony pulls himself out of his reverie and smiles down at the eight year old from where he's sitting on the side of his son's bed, and then he tucks the Star Wars sheets more secure around Bo's sides.

"Yes baby boy." He says. "That's exactly how it happened."

Bo frowns for a second before his features smooth out and he smiles, his bottom front tooth missing.

"So you just knew from the first moment you saw Daddy, that he was the one for you?"

Tony nods as he reaches out to smooth Bo's dark brown hair off his brow.

"I just knew." Tony states and Bo grins.

"And that's why you and Daddy always want to go for a walk when it rains." The smart beyond his years little boy surmises.

Tony chuckles as he nods again. "Yes, I suppose it is."

"I can't wait for the world to freeze for me." Bo says happily.

"Well," Tony smiles, "I hope it's not too soon. You're still our little Bo; we don't want you to grow up too fast."

"I'll always be your little Bo, Papa. Even when I'm all big and grown up."

Tony blinks his suddenly moist eyes and bends forward to kiss his son's forehead.

"I love you, Bo."

"I love you too, Papa."

Tony stands from the bed and turns towards Bo's door, pausing at the threshold to turn back and make sure that Bo has closed his eyes before turning out the light.

"Goodnight baby boy." He says softly as he backs out of the room and pulls the door nearly closed, leaving it open a few inches just how Bo likes it.

Tony turns around only to jump back a step, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from shouting in surprise- not wanting to wake his already sleeping four year old twins, Harlow and Rowan, and his just now dozing oldest son.

There, leaning casually against the wall with his impressive arms crossed over his chest, is his husband of ten years with a cheeky dimpled grin on his face and looking positively unabashed. His eye crinkles and laughter lines in full form on his face do to his beautiful smile.

Tony lets out a breath, his hand held over his steadily calming heart.

"You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days." Tony whispers, moving away from their son's door. "You and your creepy stealth ninja ways."

Clint just smiles wider, his steel colored eyes nearly closing from how large his grin is. And then his husband pushes off the wall, reaching out and taking both of Tony's hands in his before walking them backwards down the hall towards their room.

Clint's eyes are basically sparkling when they get to their room and close the door behind them. Clint locks it, crowding Tony against the door, their chests touching and Tony's breath starts to quicken in anticipation.

Clint leans down and ghosts his breath along Tony's jaw until his lips graze Tony's right ear.

"I loved your bedtime story." Clint whispers and Tony shivers, his neck getting goosebumps from Clint's warm breath.

"You heard that?" Tony asks quietly, just as soft, and Clint nods, his lips trailing down Tony's neck placing kiss after kiss against his skin.

"I heard. And I wanted to tell you something."

More kisses and some light nips, up his throat, and Tony swallows then gasps as Clint kisses and nips his Adam's apple.

"Tell me." Tony sighs, moans, gasps.

Then Clint is leaning back in order to meet his gaze, their mouths a hairs breadth apart.

Clint's steel eyes are heated yet still sincere and fond and bright.

"The world froze for me too." He says.

And Tony smiles, his eyes somehow moist once again before he leans forward to claim his husband's lips with his own.


End file.
